Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson is the editor of popjustice.com

Fri 30 Mar 2012

Peter Robinson is the editor of popjustice.com, and contributes to NME and The Guardian. He joins our panel alongside Lucie Cave from Heat magazine and Mr Tinchy Stryder.

Who do you think is the most powerful person in Pop?It’s probably someone boring like Lucian Grainge who runs Universal Music and therefore most of the music industry but a more exciting answer is probably the ‘one person’ you get when you add all the millions of fans worldwide together and see them kick into action together to create a new superstar. When pop fans acted as one to decide that Jessie J would be their new favourite popstar, for example, or that One Direction would break America. Obviously there are people behind the scenes pushing and pulling this ‘one person’ where they want them to go but you’d be surprised how hard they are to impress.

What elements do you think make up power in the world of pop?Hugeness times amazingness.

How has power in pop changed over the last few years?Popstars have more power than ever – they can connect directly with their fans without needing the media to give them the thumbs up first.

How important is the internet when it comes to putting power into the hands of a popstar?It’s become vital for any act not launched through TV. Even a song you hear on the radio is one you’re likely to end up YouTubing later if you like it – and many acts will only get their songs played on the radio if there are big online play counts to start with. Everything seems to start and end with the internet.

Is there anyone in the world of pop whose power has diminished because of the internet?I think when Lady Gaga established herself as the first internet-age megastar – and Madonna hadn’t even joined Twitter or engaged with her fans in any meaningful way online – Madonna lost a lot of ground simply by not being on the internet.

Who’s the gobbiest star on the internet?Example is pretty fearless and I think we’ve probably got another five months to go before he realises, like Calvin Harris did before him, that it’s easier just to keep a bit quiet. Rihanna, of course, is pretty mouthy on her own Twitter account.

The Powerlist is based on the UK market. How do you think home-grown acts will fair against the global competition?I’m not sure Reggie Yates will stand up that well.

Who is the most discussed star on Popjustice? And what makes them such a hot topic?Rihanna, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga are all acts who’ve nurtured and rewarded online fanbases and there’s a lot of chatter about their next moves, and a lot of reaction every time they do something.

A lot of pop artists love to splash the cash- what’s the most lucrative display of power you’ve ever been witness to/heard of?I heard that Mariah Carey once arrived at her US label office with a flock of lambs. She announced that they were a thank you present to the team for working so hard, then left.

If someone wanted to get to the top in the world of pop, what one piece of advice would you give them?If it doesn’t work, change your haircut.

Name one person who won’t be on the list who you think should be.Scott Mills.

Who do you think is going to place higher? Jedward or Gary Barlow? BARLOWThe Wanted or One Direction? ONE DIRECTIONLady Gaga or Katy Perry? KATY PERRY

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